Display device



April 12, 1949. H. KONlKOFF 2,467,042

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Feb. 12, 1947 "IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII INVENTORHARRY Ka/w/(d/T oi/ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 12, 1949 UITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to display devices, and relates more particularlyto an improved device for supporting shoes and the like in such a manneras to best display their more significant and ornamental features. Thepresent application constitutes a continuation-in-part of my co-pendingapplication Serial No. 629,7 34, filed November 20, 1945.

In the display of shoes and like articles it is desirable to providemeans for positioning the article at such an angle as to best bring outits most distinctive aspects. It is further desirable to provideclamping means which will firmly and eiiectively grip the article, andto efiect such mounting with a minimum of time and effort. The first ofthese desired conditions is accomplished in the present invention byproviding a universal joint, preferably in the form of balland-socketelements which permit of a wide variation in the possible angles ofdisplay. The second result is achieved by providing a novel arrangementof clamping arms pivotally mounted on a base plate which is carried byone of the ball-and-socket elements. Gripping fingers associated withthe arms grasp the shoe sole or other member. and a spring member urgesthe arms together.

, An important object of the invention is to provide a novel lockingarrangement for holding the arms in fully extended position andpermitting release of the arms upon contact between the shoe sole and a.depressible element on the base plate.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an embodiment of the present invention,the view, in broken lines, showing a shoe supported thereon.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

The shoe display device of the present invention is arranged to besupported on a stand (not shown), such stand including a verticalupright member Ill, at the upper end of which a ferrule I l supports agenerally spherical socket element [2 having inwardly-inclined fingersl3 which grasp a ball element l4, though permitting relative rotativemovement of the ball within the socket element. A coiled compressionspring 19 within the ferrule may restrain relative rotation between theball and socket elements and permit the former to be moved to anadjusted, fixed position relative to the latter.

A stem l5 extends outwardly and preferably ra- 2 dially from the ballelement, the stem being secured on the lower side of a base plate I6(see Fig. 3) which is of generally rectangular shape. Arms H arepivotally mounted at opposite ends of the base plate, as shown at 18. Attheir opposite ends, gripping fingers 2i, which are preferably formedintegrally with circular bracket portions 22 lying at right angles tothe fingers,

are pivotally mounted, as shown at 23. These fingers haveinwardly-projecting portions 24 and are preferably provided withcoverings 25 formed of rubber or other resilient material.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the arms areurged inwardly towards each other by means of a wire spring 26 which,when the arms occupy their innermost position, is of generally U-shapedconfiguration, the central portion of such spring being disposed betweenstem l5 and a struck-out portion 29 formed integrally with plate Hi. Thelegs 38 of spring 26 engage struck-out portions 3| formed integrallywith arms [1, such struck-out portions being disposed on the lowersurfaces of arms l1 and form hook-like portions which receive such legsof the spring.

Means for retaining the arms in the extended position of Fig. 4 comprisean extension 33 secured to and extending outwardly from base plate l6.On the lower surface (see Fig. 4) of extension 33 is a flat spring 34which is secured adjacent the outer end of extension 33, as shown at 35.At its inner end, spring 34 carries a cross-piece 36 havingdiagonally-inclined terminal portions 3'! The cross-piece 36 is sodisposed relative to arms I! that when such arms are manually movedoutwardly to their fully-extended position, the diagonal terminals 3'!of the cross-piece move upwardly and engage the vertical portions of thestruck-out portions 3| of the arms and thus retain the arms in suchoutermost position.

The cross-piece is further provided with an upwardly-extending stud 40having an upper terminal portion 4| which is normally substantiallyplane with base plate I6. Upwardly-extending stud 40 passes through anopening 42 in the base plate which is formed when portion 29 is struckdownwardly. It will thus be apparent that when the arms I! are locked bycross-piece 36 in their outermost position, such arms will be releasedwhen stud 40 is depressed.

The operation of the device is as follows. The arms I! are first movedto their outwardly-extended position, as shown in Fig. 4, and the soleof shoe 45 then moved downwardly into desired position with relation tobase plate I6. Such downward movement of the shoe causes the sole toengage portion 4|, depressing cross-piece 36, and releasing the armswhich move inwardly. This causes fingers 2| to grip the sides and/or thesoles of the shoe and retain such shoe rigidly on the support. The angleof base plate 16 may be adjusted either before or after this operation.When it is desired to remove the shoe from the stand the arms i'i maymerely be moved .outwardly, thus releasing the shoe.

While one form or embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed herein for il1us-- trative purposes, and the construction andarrangement incidental to a specific application thereof have beendisclosed and discussed indetail, it is to be understood that theinvention is limited neither to the mere detailsor relative arrangementof parts, nor to its specific embodiment shown herein, but thatextensive deviations from the illustrated form or embodiment of theinvention may be made without departing from the principles thereof.

What I claim is:

1. A display device for shoes and the like com-- prising a base platewhich is provided with a lateral extension, a support for the base plateand a ball-and-socket element permitting adjustment of the plane of suchplate, pivoted, shoe-gripping arms disposed on the base plate, andspring means urging the arms inwardly to shoe-gripping position, aspring carried by the extension, a drepressible cross piece mounted onthe spring, the terminals of which engage the arms when in extendedposition to retain them in such position prior to the shoe-grippingoperation, and a stud carried by the cross piece and extending upwardlythrough an opening in the plate to release the "cross piece when theshoe depresses the stud.

2. A display device for shoes and the like comprising an uprightsupport, a base plate disposed at the upper end of the support,universal means between the support and the base plate to permitadjustment of the latter to a desired angle relative to the former, armspivotally mounted at opposite ends of the plate and provided withpivoted fingers at their outer ends, spring means urging the armsinwardly to shoe-gripping position, and means comprising a depressi'blespringpressed cross piece engaging the arms and restraining inwardmovement of the arms, and a stud carried by the cross piece andprojecting through an opening in the base plate to release the crosspiece from the arms when the stud is depressed by the shoe.

3. A display device for shoes an'dthe like comprising an uprightsupport, a base plate disposed at the upper end of the support,ball-and-soc'ket means connecting the support and the base platetopermit adjustment of the latter to a desired angle relative to theformer, laterally-extendingarms pivotally mounted at opposite ends ofthe plate and provided with pivoted gripping fingers at their outerends, spring means urging the arms inwardly to shoe-gripping position,and means for retaining the arms in extended position for application tothe shoe, said means comprising a d'epressible spring-pressed crosspiece whose terminals engage the arms, and a stud carried by the crosspiece and projecting through an opening in the base plate to release thecross piece from the arms when the stud is depressed by the shoe.

4. A display device for shoes and the like comprising an uprightsupport, a base plate having an aperture therein disposed at the upperend of the support, ball-and-socket means connecting the-support and thebase plate to permit adjustment of the latter to a desired anglerelative to the former, laterally-extending spaced arms pivotallymounted at opposite ends of the plate, and spring means urging the armsinwardly to shoe gripping position, pivoted gripping fingers mounted atthe outer ends of the arms, an extension of the plate disposed betweenthe arms, a spring secured at one end thereof to the outer end of saidextension, a cross piece attached to the other end of said springengaging the arms and restraining inward movement thereof, and 'a' studcarried by the cross piece projecting through the aperture in the baseplate torelea'se the cross piece from the arms when the stud isdepressed "by the shoe.

5. A display device for shoes and the like comprising a base plate, asupport for the base plate having means 'for adjustment of'the'plane ofsaid plate, pivoted, shoe-gripping arms mounted on the base plate, andspring'means urging the arms inwardly to shoe-gripping position, anextension of the base plate disposed between the arms, a fiat springmounted on such extension, a depressible cross'piece carried by thespring for retaining the arms in extended position prior to theshoegripping operation, and a stud carried by the cross piece andextending upwardly through an opening in the plate .to release the crosspiece when the shoe depresses the stud.

6. A display device for shoes and the like comprising'a base plate, asupport for the base plate "having'me'ans'ior adjustment of the plane ofsuch plate, pivoted, shoe-gripping arms mounted on the base plateinspaced relationship, and spring means urging them inwardly'to'shoe-gripping position, an extension of'the base plate disposed be-"tween the arms, a fiat spring mounted on such extension, a depressiblecross piece carried'by the spring .and whose terminals retain the armsin extended position before the shoe is :mounted on the base :plate, anda stud carried by the cross piece and extending upwardly through anopening inth'e plate to release the cross piece when the shoe depressesthe stud.

.HARRYJKONIKOFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 496,915 M'e'lzer .Jan. 31, I893610363 Muller (Sept, 6, 189.8

:FGREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 9,333 Great'Britain 1905

